Census data show at least 60,000 people are employed as welders in Australia. Welders work in a variety of industries, including construction, manufacturing and mining. Welding is a method used to join metals together by heating them to a high temperature and then allowing them to cool, forming a strong join.
This process creates fumes. Welding fumes are a complex mixture of very fine metal dusts, gases and other particles. These fumes have been associated with health harms including cancer, respiratory diseases and neurological disorders.
But little is known about the level of exposure to welding fumes, or the use of control measures to prevent or reduce this exposure, in Australian workplaces. In our study published today, we surveyed 634 workers involved in welding from around Australia, across a range of ages and industries. We found most Australian welders are being exposed to high levels of dangerous, carcinogenic fumes.
And we’re not doing enough to protect them. The health risks of welding Welding fumes were classified as a known carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in March 2017 . This was based on evidence that showed exposure to welding fumes increased the risk of lung and possibly kidney cancer.
This risk was apparent regardless of the type of welding or the metals being welded. There’s also some evidence suggesting exposure to welding fumes can cause respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, as wel.